Complete Concert Review
The Fab Faux in Chavasse Park, Liverpool
Saturday August 25th, 2001

At last! We're standing just in front of the stage in Chavasse Park in Liverpool. Today we will meet our friends from 1999 and 2000 again - THE FAB FAUX!

01. May Pang, once John Lennon's girlfriend, had come all the way from America to introduce the band. She's a personal friend of The Fab Faux and even hired them for her birthday party.

02. And Your Bird Sing. Frank sang the first song supported with beautiful harmonies from the others. Rich's drums pounding from the very start. A brilliant opening of the concert.

03. Baby You're A Rich Man. Will first greeted the audience: "This is the city we love the most - Liverpool!" Then he started to play a wonderful melodic bass - LOUD! Super lead vocals from Jimmy and Rich. Excellent harmonies from Frank, Will and Jack. The authentic swirling keyboard sound made us think we had The Beatles on stage. (But they never performed this great B-side live off course.)

04. Drive My Car. Will said: "Nice to be back in Liverpool. The first time you just blew us away!" The song started a little funny. (They couldn't hear the monitors and hadn't got time for sound-check.) The first false start. "Jesus!" Frank said. Then another one. "One more for me!" Frank cried. But then everything turned out perfectly. We got a great, heavy version. Soulful vocals by Jack and Frank, supported by Jimmy's biting guitar.

05. You're Gonna Loose That Girl. Another false start. "No bass!" Frank said. "Do you enjoy the rehearsals so far?" Will passed in. But no problems! Thereafter Frank sang so beautiful. And the harmonies! Fantastic! My wife Ulla's favourite! And Jack so wonderful on percussion.

06. For The Benefit of Mr. Kite. Another excellent lead vocal from Frank. His voice, full of soul! More great swirling keyboards.

07. I've Got A Feeling. Full power, Rich and Jack trying to surpass one another. This was soul, Soul, SOUL, man!

08. Baby's In Black. Not one of my Beatles favourites. But The Faux's gave us a swinging waltz. We started to dance! Great singing by Jack and Rich again. And those beautiful harmonies! No other Beatle Tribute Band can sing them better.

09. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. Will's melodic strong bass gave this song a heavy feeling. Again, great, great lead vocals by him and Rich. Yes, Rich is always doubling the others lead, to go for that double-track sound.

10. Frank's Trivia Corner. Till next year you must make your questions a little harder!(?)

11. Good Day Sunshine. Jimmy sang the lead vocals - So good! And nice harmonies by the others again.

12. Strawberry Fields Forever. Introduced by Will as "The best written material during the last century." And I agree. This is my Ultimate Beatles Favourite! It started good with Rich's vocal and the swirling keyboards. But futher into the song something didn't fit. Curious keyboards and drums. Something wrong with the rhythm. Sorry Faux's, but this is the only song you can improve. (I must be objective, always so positive otherwise.) 

13. You Can't Do That. Presented by Will as "The Ultimate Rock'n'Roll song." And he was right! With Jimmy's vocals the band surpassed The Beatles' version! Wow!

14. If I Needed Someone. Will and Rich sang it so beautiful. Fantastic harmonies by the others - again. And the guitars. Shivers down your spine!

15. Paperback Writer. Great driving guitars here, accompanied by Will's and Rich's soulful voices. And so the harmonies again. Unbelievable! How do they do it?

16. Bad Boy. "Hey junior, behave yourself!" Truly fantastic vocals by Rich. Fat guitars! Oh, Jimmy and Frank! This Larry Williams classic has never sounded better!

17. I'm The Walrus. More magic vocals by Rich. And what great support he got from the audience during all the "Oh's"! whompa! Whompa!

18. Helter Skelter. A true NASTY song! Jack's intro: "Alright you fuckers?!!" Then full power by the band. And Jack's vocal!!! No one has ever sang this song so heavy, not even Macca himself! Even more nastyNastyNASTY!!! Will's end: "I've got blisters on my penis!" You said WE blew you away in 1999! But what was this?!!

September 16th, 2001

Text and photo:
Bengt Wärmlind, Sweden